"So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come / Discomfort swells" (1.2.27-28), says the sergeant who is telling of Macbeth's battle against the rebels. He means that just when the coming of spring makes us think that the weather is going to be fair and give us "comfort," foul weather can bring extreme "discomfort." The sergeant then goes on to tell how this same kind of thing happened in battle. Just as Macbeth had defeated one enemy, a new one attacked. [Scene Summary]

In his first appearance as King of Scotland, Macbeth's first words are addressed to Banquo: "Here's our chief guest" (3.1.12). Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth treat Banquo with elaborate courtesy, but later in the scene Macbeth arranges the murder of Banquo. [Scene Summary]

After he becomes king, Macbeth suffers from sleeplessness and bad dreams. Also, he is afraid that Banquo's children will be kings of Scotland, as the witches prophesied. Apparently all these stresses show plainly in his face, because his wife pleads with him to be a better hypocrite: "Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; / Be bright and jovial among your guests to-night" (3.2.27-28). However, Macbeth resents the necessity of putting a fair face on his foul thoughts. He's already arranged for the murder of Banquo, but he tells his wife that she needs to be a good hypocrite, too, particularly in front of Banquo:

The key phrase in this passage is "unsafe the while." It's Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who are unsafe, because Banquo could suspect that they killed King Duncan, and also because of the witches' prophecy. They are King and Queen, but they have to make nice to Banquo, as though he is better than they are. [Scene Summary]

In the scene after the scene in which Macbeth says that he will visit the witches again, Hecate comes from the underworld to tell the witches she is angry at them. She wants to know how they dare to mess around with Macbeth without including her. After all, isn't she the one who can "show the glory of our art?" (3.5.9). Hecate, like the witches, thinks that doing bad is good, and she thinks she is the best at doing the worst.

Sometime after the banquet at which the Ghost of Banquo appeared to Macbeth, Lennox comes to understand the foul reality behind Macbeth's hypocrisy. He says, "The gracious Duncan / Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead" (3.6.4). This bitter joke describes both Macbeth's facade -- that he was sorry for King Duncan -- and the truth about Macbeth, which was that he was sorry for King Duncan only after he killed him. Then Lennox proceeds to ridicule Macbeth's version of everything that has happened to this point. [Scene Summary]

In order to further test Macduff's honor, Malcolm tells him that he (Malcolm) would be an even more wicked king than Macbeth is. When Macduff is about to depart in disgust, Malcolm reverses himself and tells Macduff that he, too, is an honorable man, and that he is ready to fight Macbeth. At this, Macduff falls strangely silent. When Malcolm asks why he is silent, Macduff says, "Such welcome and unwelcome things at once / 'Tis hard to reconcile" (4.3.138-139). In this instance, what seemed foul -- Malcolm -- is suddenly revealed to be fair. [Scene Summary]